The present invention relates to the field of alarms for temperature controlled environments and particularly to the field of alarms for refrigerators and the like.
Refrigerated compartments are often used to store and preserve temperature sensitive goods. If the cooling system in a refrigerated compartment fails, the temperature sensitive goods can become spoiled, degraded or deteriorated. In large commercial and industrial refrigerated container systems alarms are often used to provide a warning when the compartment temperature becomes too warm or too cold.
However, smaller refrigerators typically used in the home and small businesses are not manufactured with a temperature alarm. Installing an alarm system into a refrigerator can be impractical since it is difficult to retrofit a refrigerator to accommodate an alarm system that draws electronic power from the main power supply of the cooling system. As such, there is a need for a battery operated temperature sensing alarm that can easily be installed in a refrigerator.
The present invention is directed to a battery operated refrigerator alarm comprising a light sensor, a timer, a temperature sensor and an alarm indicator. The light sensor is associated with the timer and the alarm indicator is activated when light is detected by the light sensor for a predetermined period of time. The temperature sensor comprises at least an upper predefined temperature wherein the alarm indicator is triggered if the temperature rises above the upper predefined temperature.
The alarm indicator may include an audio signal, a light signal or a combination of both. The light sensor and temperature sensor may activate the same alarm indicator or a plurality of alarm indicators can be used. Preferably the alarm indicator includes three indicator lights that operate based upon the temperature sensor, comprising a first light to indicate a high temperature, a second light to indicate a low temperature and a third light to indicate normal temperature.
The refrigerator alarm of the present invention can be placed or mounted inside a refrigerator. Preferably, the alarm is mounted in the refrigerator by mounting means. In one embodiment, the mounting means would include an elongated upper arm and an elongated lower arm extending from the alarm body, with at least one of said upper and lower arms being movable in relation to the other arm and including means to maintain the arms in a fixed, closed position about a refrigerator shelf. In the most preferred embodiment, the alarm body would be mounted to a surface with mounting means including double sided tape, suction cups or the like, preferably with a mounting bracket secured to the interior refrigerator surface that includes means to hold the alarm.